I live in a world of spies, counter intelligence and code words which have not one …
Not two …
But three (or more) separate and distinct meanings.
I speak – of course – of the world of four-year-old children.
Specifically the code words and hidden meanings behind:
- The Owl
- The Dog
- The Cat
- The Old Pig
- The New Pig
- Templeton
In this world of their own making, the three Ruffolo children have concocted a strange level of language all their own.
And you can believe this is very important stuff.
At least it is to them.
As I sit down for dinner with our children … using this very laptop in which I am writing … is front and centre and the first topic of discussion – even after what the chef will be cooking for their haute cuisine dinner (the chef of course is me) is what movie will be going along with the meal.
Will it be (taking the synopses from Wikipedia)?:
The Owl – So Dear to My Heart is a 1949 feature film produced by Walt Disney, whose world premiere was in Indianapolis on January 19, 1949, released by RKO Radio Pictures. Like 1946’s Song of the South, the film combines animation and live action. It is based on the Sterling North book Midnight and Jeremiah. In it a cartoon owl springs forth from the pages of a child’s book and sings away.
The Rabbit – Song of the South is a 1946 American live-action animated musical film produced by Walt Disney. It is based on the collection of Uncle Remus stories as adapted by Joel Chandler Harris, and stars James Baskett as Uncle Remus. The film takes place in the southern United States during the Reconstruction Era, a period of American history shortly after the end of the American Civil War and the abolition of slavery.
The story follows seven-year-old Johnny (Bobby Driscoll) who is visiting his grandmother’s plantation for an extended stay. Johnny befriends Uncle Remus, one of the workers on the plantation, and takes joy in hearing his tales about the adventures of Br’er Rabbit, Br’er Fox, and Br’er Bear. Johnny learns from the stories how to cope with the challenges he is experiencing living on the plantation.
The Dog – Cats & Dogs is a 2001 Australian-American family action comedy film, directed by Lawrence Guterman with screenplay by John Requa and Glenn Ficarra, and stars Jeff Goldblum, Elizabeth Perkins and Alexander Pollock. The story centers on the relationships between cats and dogs, depicting the relationship as an intense rivalry in which both sides use organizations and tactics that mirror those used in human espionage.
The Old Pig – Babe is a 1995 Australian-American comedy-drama film directed by Chris Noonan, produced by George Miller, and written by both. It is an adaptation of Dick King-Smith‘s 1983 novel The Sheep-Pig, also known as Babe: The Gallant Pigin the US, which tells the story of a pig who wants to be a sheepdog. The main animal characters are played by a combination of real and animatronic pigs and Border Collies.
it was nominated for seven Academy Awards including Best Picture, Best Director and Best Adapted Screenplay, winning Best Visual Effects. It also won the Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy and the Saturn Award for Best Fantasy Film.
The New Pig – Babe: Pig in the City is a 1998 Australian-American comedy-drama film and the sequel to the 1995 film Babe. It is co-written, produced and directed by George Miller, who co-wrote and produced the original film. Most of the actors from the first film reappeared as their respective roles, including James Cromwell, Miriam Margolyes, Hugo Weaving, Danny Mann, and Magda Szubanski. The story focuses on the journey of Babe and the farmer’s wife Esme in the fictional city of Metropolis and Elizabeth Daily replaces Christine Cavanaugh as Babe.
The film was nominated for Best Original Song at the 1998 Academy Awards.
Templeton – Charlotte’s Web is a 2006 American live-action feature film based on the book of the same name by E. B. White. It was directed by Gary Winick and produced by Paramount Pictures, Walden Media, The K Entertainment Company, and Nickelodeon Movies … and deals with talking animals who bond together to save the life of a “spring” pig.
And there you have it.
Each of these code words have meaning and value for a four year old.
Didn’t we do the same in the fleeting years of our youth?
